Why Netflix’s “Beef” Matters
While “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and its story of Chinese-American immigrants made history at last month’s Oscars, the annual UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report found that people of color accounted for 22% of lead actors, 17% of directors and 12% of writers in 2022’s theatrical releases. Meanwhile, Nielsen reported that Asian representation on TV increased from just 3.5% in 2020 to 4.6% in 2021. It’s safe to say there’s progress still to be made with diversity in Hollywood.
Last week, Netflix premiered “Beef,” a series from A24 starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, as two strangers whose lives become entangled following a road rage incident. The series received rave reviews at SXSW in February, while fans praised it for shattering the Asian-American stereotypes often depicted on screen. A Morning Consult survey from 2020 found that 45% of respondents who identify as Asian said the biggest stereotypes they see in film and TV involve personality traits, such as being shy, smart or hard-working.
At Netflix’s recent “Release Your Rage” event for “Beef” in New York, I chatted with Alok Vaid-Menon, a South Asian writer, artist and media personality who performs under the moniker ALOK, to discuss the show’s themes of rage and mental health, as well as the platform it provides for Asian-American actors and creatives.
Why is a series like “Beef” so important?
ALOK: In this time with so much rampant dehumanization of Asian Americans, it’s really important to see fully textured stories that don’t require us to be the model minority in our representation, meaning that we shouldn’t have to be perfect, we shouldn’t have to be idealized, we shouldn’t actually be allowed to be honest about our woundedness, our brokenness, our contradiction, and I think it gives permission to us to express the extent of ourselves.
Why should studios and streaming services like Netflix make series or films with these themes?
ALOK: It’s so important because for so long we’ve had one-dimensional and flat representation of our lives. We know that intimately as a community, that representation doesn’t just reflect reality — it creates it. Shows like “Beef” continue to give permission to a whole new generation of actors, producers and story writers to pick up the mantle and continue to create stories that expand our horizons of what’s possible for ourselves.
Now, for the rest of last week’s biggest news…
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Cineworld Group PLC, parent company of Regal Cinemas, reached an agreement with creditors to get out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which includes a restructuring plan and a backstop agreement, according to a recent filing.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called for the state’s inspector general to investigate the legality of an agreement signed by the board previously backed by the Walt Disney Co., which retained control of its special district in Orange and Osceola counties before DeSantis’ approved board could take power.
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Netflix Inc. reportedly ordered a pilot for the first time, a single-camera comedy series called “Little Sky,” from creator and director Rightor Doyle, starring Samara Weaving, who is also set to executive produce.
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Amazon.com Inc. laid off around 100 employees in its video game divisions including Prime Gaming, Game Growth and the company’s San Diego-based studio in its latest effort to cut costs, according to an internal memo Games Vice President Christoph Hartmann sent to staff that was obtained by Bloomberg.
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Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. plans to open a $200 million production studio in Atlanta, later this year to increase movie and TV show filming in the area where “The Hunger Games” franchise was made.
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Sirius XM Holdings Inc. Chief Financial Officer Sean Sullivan is stepping down after three years to pursue a role outside of the industry, while Thomas D. Barry, senior vice president and controller of the satellite-radio company since 2009, will replace him. Meanwhile, NBCUniversal hired CAA veteran Matt Leaf as Universal Pictures’ executive vice president, head of business affairs, a role in which he will oversee negotiations and deals for the development, production and distribution of projects.
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The Walt Disney Co. promoted Hulu President Joe Earley to president of direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment, replacing Michael Paull as he leaves Disney after six years, effective immediately, according to a joint statement from co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden. Disney also named Asad Ayaz as its first chief brand officer, where the 18-year veteran of the company will manage the Disney brand globally and continue to serve as president of marketing, which includes overseeing the marketing and publicity of the studio’s films and series.
- “Jeanne du Barry,” the first film to star Johnny Depp after his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, will open next month’s 76th Cannes Film Festival.
